Sam Madden and his daughter Emily run a general store in a small Western town. One of their frequent visitors and one who Madden especially admires is Grey Deer, an educated Indian, and on his deathbed, at the opening of the story, he exacts a promise from Emily that she will wed Gray Deer when he dies.
A party of tourists visiting an Indian reservation turn one poor squaw's head with the beauty of their wearing apparel. This Indian woman steals away from camp and decks herself out in the most remarkable finery. She is followed by her husband through the streets of the town, causing consternation everywhere. Ultimately she is followed by an English dandy, who mistakes her for a beautiful white woman, but they are caught in each other's company by the brave and the Englishman is scalped.
Gordon Olcott, an eastern millionaire, goes west and examines large tracts of land with the view of purchasing a tract, intending to build a summer home. After selecting a suitable tract, covering several thousands of acres, he learns that a miner, working a claim on a portion of his tract has refused to vacate.
A girl deserts her cowboy sweetheart and marries a gambler. In a short time she realizes her mistake and is thrust from the house when ill. Vainly she tries to induce her husband to take her back, but he refuses and she falls by the wayside in a dying condition, where she is found by her former lover. After she dies he hunts out her husband, forces him to go to the house and see her body and then gives him the choice of a vial of poison or bullets from is revolvers.
James Collins leaves his dear old mother and goes West, where he becomes connected with the Bar Diamond Outfit. He finds the life of a cowboy arduous and the pay meager. The possibilities of owning a herd of his own by blotting brands or branding calves, occurs to him, as it has to many others, who desire quick results from very little effort. Six months later, he is a full-fledged cattle thief, branding cattle, under his own registered brand, while ostensibly an honest cowboy in the employ of the Bar Diamond Ranch. He writes his mother of his success and she, never dreaming of the hazardous occupation her son is following, plans to join him in the West.
Dad, a likable old pioneer character, lived among the foot hills of the western mining region, on a ranch with his two daughters, Rose and Madge. As sort of a side issue he had been doing a little prospecting, and about the time the story starts, we see him carrying some of his quartz to Andy Thomas, a young assayer located in a nearby village.
Broncho Bill of Snakeville, is on one of his sprees. Loaded down with all kinds of artillery, he comes up Main Street, firing both pistols. He first visits the town bar and chases everybody out; he breaks into the hotel and causes a panic there; breaks up a prayer meeting; puts an English tourist to flight; grabs the boot off of "Alkali" Ike's foot and shoots at it in the air. Finally, tired of his sport, he borrows a horse and starts for home, shortly after to be pursued by the sheriff and his posse.
Mr. Joseph Close, ranch man, with his wife and daughter, visit the town for supplies. The daughter makes a hit with the storekeeper and it is with difficulty that the ranch man induces his daughter to leave. They return home, and the ranch man finds a letter in his mail box from Wm. Schrider, Attorney-at-Law, informing him that his brother is dead, and has left the sum of three million dollars to his daughter, on condition that she produce an official certificate of her marriage one month from the date of her uncle's death.
Young Harry Farman and Eloise Wendell are engaged to be married. Harry is a wealthy young fellow and Eloise is a society girl, and both find pleasure in their clubs and other such luxuries that the city affords the fashionable, wealthy set. Eloise, who has rode a hobby of philanthropy is engaged with her club and other clubs, who are holding a tag day, the funds to go to the children of the poor. Eloise, with another friend, invades a saloon in a fashionable hotel, and are invited to have a drink by two men seated at a table. Eloise, in fun, lifts the glass to her lips when Farman enters. The match is broken off and the next day Farman, with a friend, goes west.
'Spike' Shannon, a pugilist by occupation, signs to fight a 10-round bout, with another young knight of the ring. A contract is drawn and 'Spike' and his backers leave the office of the promoter. On the street they encounter a young couple, evidently at outs, but which proves later, upon the girl's explanation, to be a flirtation, in which she has no desire to take part. The masher has insolently insulted her. 'Spike' takes in the situation at once and with his strong right arm knocks the dude sprawling.
The chief of the Sioux and the Cheyennes having fought a duel to the death, there is enmity between the tribes. In consequence, when the son of the Cheyenne chief woos a daughter of the Sioux he is taken prisoner by the men of the latter tribe and about to be killed. He is saved, however, by the girl's interference, but her chief's contempt for her soft-heartedness and desiring to settle the matter, ties her on the back of a wild horse and selecting two other horses gives one to the Cheyenne and one to a Sioux, telling them that the one who catches the maid wins her. A most exciting picture ensues that everyone will enjoy.
Life on the Border is a true story of life in the early days of America. It is the terrible experience of a young pioneer mother left alone for the day in her wilderness home with only a five-year-old child as company. The mother is accidentally imprisoned in a woodshed near the cabin, by her child. The little one tries in vain to lift the heavy latch, and while the mother is thus imprisoned, a bear, being pursued by a band of prowling Indians, arrives upon the scene. Frightened nearly to death, the child hides near a pile of logs. The imprisoned mother, thoroughly frightened, becomes frantic as the pursuing Indians come upon the scene. The Indians explore the grounds and ransack the empty cabin, finding the "fire water" and medicine chest. In their subsequent hilarity they set fire to the cabin and out-buildings, among them the shed in which the terrified mother is imprisoned. The drunken Indians, suddenly remembering the bear, depart in search of the animal.
Two pals, Jack Manley and John French, are employed on a large ranch in Wyoming. French falls sick with fever and Jack goes for a doctor. This latter, however, refuses to accompany Jack without his payment in advance and Jack, in despair, is forced to depart without the doctor. Back at the bunkhouse he conceives the plan to hold up a pony express rider
Our first scene shows cowboys and their sweethearts, enjoying a quadrille on horseback. "Happy Jack" rides off with Belle Archer, the sweetheart of Jim. Jim, furiously angry, attacks Happy and the cowboys, taking Jim's pistol from him, hustle him out of the bunk-house. Later the pistol falls to the floor and explodes, the bullet striking and killing Happy, who is alone. The brave fellow writes on a piece of paper before he dies, "I shot myself accidentally, Jack." A gust of wind blows the note into a corner, Jim entering, is discovered examining his revolver over the dead man, and is accused of murder. Later, we see Jim on trial for his life. The lame cowboy finds the last message of Happy Jack. He limps out to the road and hands the paper to Jim's friend, the Pony Express rider. His horse goes lame. He lassos and mounts an unbroken broncho and is on his way again in a wild dash to save the life of his friend.
After successfully eluding the London police, David Goodwin, an embezzler, sails for America and locates in the west. At the opening of our story, he is married and has several little children, and has become a thoroughly respectable and honorable citizen. One day he is reminded of the past by a newspaper item which states that the London embezzler has been located
During an attack on the Matelija Indian village, Wana, a beautiful Indian girl, is captured. Don Pablo, a Mexican gentleman, rescues Wana and places her in the care of the old Padre at San Louis Rey Mission. Two months later Wana again meets her rescuer. Romero, a half-breed, is rejected by Rubia, Don Pablo's sweetheart.
A wagon train heading west across the great desert runs out of water, and is attacked by Indians. One man -- their last hope -- is sent out to find water.